Because no candidate finished with the required majority of votes the first time around, delegates had
to vote a second time in a run-off election between the top two
vote-getters: Johnson and state Sen. Cameron
Brown. Johnson ultimately finished with 1,089 votes.

Scott, a 28-year-old first-term lawmaker, said he was disappointed in the loss, but proud of
his campaign. He said he is focusing on winning his 51st District
state House seat, which represents southern Genesee County.

"There
were people who wanted me to run as a 21st century Republican," he
said. "My campaign accomplished that. We put Genesee County on the map
in Republican politics."

Scott said he hopes to work closely with Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder, who he called a personal friend.

Scott predicted the state House race will be a microcosm of the governor's race. He compared himself to Snyder and compared his Democratic opponent, UAW official Art Reyes, to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero.

"Like Snyder, I'm focused on doing good public service," he said. "Like Virg, my opponent is propped up by the union machine in Flint."

Macomb County Republican Stanley Grot said Scott isn't part of the "worn-out establishment."

True to his image as a young politician, Scott's supporters wore T-shirts with a list of his endorsements that looked like a Facebook wall. He greeted delegates on stage to the Guns 'N Roses tune "Welcome to the Jungle," and in a rush to woo last-minute supporters, Scott sprinted from poll to poll wearing a suit and tie.

Before the results were in, Grand Blanc delegate Vickie Sturgess said
Scott would have a lot of support from the Genesee County Republican
Committee regardless of the outcome.

"He's young but he's wise beyond his years," she said. "He has brought Genesee County respect from all over the state."

In another Genesee County-related race, former congressman and judge Bill Schuette won the Republican nomination in the state attorney general race, defeating Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop by 121 votes.

Schuette will likely face Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton in the November general election. Leyton was unofficially nominated for the seat by Democrats at a party convention earlier this year. He is expected to secure the nomination at the state Democratic convention Sunday.

Schuette criticized Leyton after securing the nomination, saying he is too soft on crime.

"We can't have the person who's in charge of public safety in Flint be in charge of public safety in the state of Michigan," he said.

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser said the convention had a record number of attendees at 5,000 people, including a large influx of Tea Party members.